Harmonica attachment



Filed Oct. 22, 1954 INVENTOR.

United States Patent HARMONICA ATTACHMENT Harold G. FitzGerald, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 22, 1954, Serial No. 463,861

1 Claim. (Cl. 84378) This invention relates to an attachment for a harmonica and it is an object of the invention to provide a resonator to increase the volume of sound emitted from a harmonica and also to soften the harsh, reedy tones thereof.

It is common practice when playing a harmonica, for the player to cup his hands over the open or back side of the harmonica, from which the sound emits, to mute and control the sound issuing therefrom. The size and shape of the ordinary or conventional harmonica is such that it is very awkward and difiicult for the average person to properly grip and cup a harmonica in a manner to advantageously gain the desired muting effects.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an attachment for a harmonica to facilitate gripping and manipulation thereof. Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a harmonica in the nature of an elongate split, open-ended tube to be arranged adjacent the back or open side of the harmonica to receive the sound emitted therefrom and to amplify the sound.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tubelike attachment of the character referred to wherein the open ends thereof can be advantageously covered or related to the players hand to control and mute the sound emitting therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a harmonica of the character referred to which is both easy and economical of manufacture and which requires little skill to apply it to a harmonica.

The various objects and features of my invention will e fully understood from the following detailed description of typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, throughout which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional doublebanked harmonica construction with the attachment provided by the present invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the harmonica and a portion of the attachment shown in Fig. 1 and taken substantially as indicated by line 22 on Fig. i. Fig. 3 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 showing a smaller, single-bank harmonica construction and having the attachment provided by the present invention applied thereto in modi fied form. Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. l and showing a slightly different form of the attachment that I provide and applied to another form of harmonica construction, and Fig. 5 is a sectional View similar to Fig. 2 and taken substantially as indicated by line 55 on Fig. 1.

The structure that I provide is in the nature of an attachment adapted to be releasably engaged on standard or conventional types of harmonica constructions. In practice, there are two basic harmonica constructions, one being formed of wood and metal and the other formed entirely of plastic material. The harmonicas formed of wood and metal are generally the liner instruments and, in practice, are made in various sizes and shapes.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 1 have shown a harmonica construction A of the type formed of wood and metal and which includes, an elongate, flat. rectangular body formed of wood and defining fiat horizontally disposed top and bottom sides 11 and 12, longitudinal vertically disposed front and rear sides 13 and 14 and vertically disposed end walls 15. The body 10 is adapted to carry a plurality of longitudinally spaced sound producing reeds 16 along the top and bottom walls 11 and 12 thereof, and is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced openings 17 entering it from its front side 13 and adapted to deliver air, under pressure from a persons mouth, to the reeds. In the particular form of the invention under consideration, I have illustrated a double harmonica construction wherein, there are two vertically spaced longitudinal rows of openings 17 entering the front side 13 of the body 10.

The harmonica construction A further includes a pair of like oppositely disposed upper and lower cover plates 18 and 19. The cover plates 18 and 19 are releasably secured to the top and bottom sides 16 and 17 of the body 10 and are adapted to cover and protect the reeds 16 carried by the body and to direct the sound generated by the reeds, rearwardly from the harmonica.

The cover plates 18 and 19 are alike and each is characterized by a flat, rectangular, central portion 26, spaced from and overlying the reeds 16, flat end portions 21 adapted to engage their respective top or bottom side of the body at the ends thereof, where they are releasably secured thereto by means of screw fasteners 22, or the like. The plates 18 and 19 further include vertically disposed intermediate wall portions 23 extending between and connecting the central portions with the end portions 21.

The central portion 2% of each cover plate 18 and 19 is provided with front and rear flanges 24 and 25 along its front and rear edges. The front flange 24 is turned inwardly toward the body 143 to establish sealed engagement therewith, while the rear flange 25 is turned inwardly towards the body 10 and terminates short of the body and a point spaced from the body. With the above relation ship of parts, it will be seen that the cover plates 18 and 19 are cooperatively related with the body to establish upper and lower rearwardly opening sound chambers X and Y and that the rear flanges 25 of the cover plates 18 and 19 occur along and define the open end of the chambers X and Y and are opposed to each other.

The attachment structure that "i provide includes, generally, an elongate horizontally disposed tubular body 36) open at each of its ends and defining a resonating chmber Z. The attachment further inciudes suitable anchoring means it adapted to be cooperatively related with the harmonica construction A so that the body occurs adjacent the rear side of the harmonica with the resonating chamber Z in open communication with the sound chambers X and Y of the harmonica.

In the form of the invention under consideration, the body 36 of the harmonica attachment, defining the resonating chamber Z, is established by an elongate tubular member 31, preferably formed of papered tubing, or the like, and an elongate substantially tubular, longitudinally split clamp sleeve 32, which is preferably formed of metal.

The longitudinally split sleeve 32 is formed along its longituidnal edges to establish the anchoring means 49 adapted to be releasably engaged with the harmonica in a manner adapted to maintain the body 31), established by the tube 31 and the sleeve 32, in proper cooperative relationship therewith.

The said tubular member 31 of the present invention is provided with an elongate slot-like opening 33 in its side wall, spaced between the ends of the tube and corresponding, substantially, in size and shape with the longitudinal vertical cross-sectional configuration of the harmonica.

The longitudinally split sleeve 32 that I provide is adapted to be engaged around the tube 31 and is preferably a simple elongate, substantially tubular part formed of an elongate, flat, rectangular sheet of material turned about a central axis, so that its ends terminate in circumferentially spaced relationship and establish opposed side edges along the longitudinal extent of the sleeve. The inside diameter of the sleeve 32 is preferably somewhat smaller than the outside diameter of the tube 31, so that the tube 31 is engaged snugly by the sleeve when the attachment is applied to the harmonica construction A.

The anchoring means 40, formed on the sleeve 32 is established by like, radially outwardly extending, longitudinal, recurrent projections along the side edges of the split sleeve 32 which projections establish oppositely or outwardly extending longitudinal lips 41. The lips 41 are adapted to be releasably engaged in hooked relationship with the inwardly turned, opposed, rear flanges on the cover plates 18 and 19 of the harmonica construction A.

In practice, the sleeve 32 is formed of resilient material and is normally somewhat opened, so that the edge portions thereof must be yieldingly sprung towards each other in order that the anchoring means 40 formed thereon, can be engaged with the flanges 25 of the harmonica.

With the structure above set forth, it will be apparent that by engaging the sleeve 32 around the tube 31, so that the sleeves opposed side edges occur at opposite sides of the slot-like opening 33 in the tube, and then arranging the related sleeve and tube adjacent the rear side of the harmonica construction A with the anchoring means 40 on the sleeve engaged with the rear flanges 25 of the harmonica, the sound chambers X and Y of the harmonica A are in open communication with the resonating chamber Z defining the attachment body 30. It will also be apparent that the attachment when applied to the harmonica A in the manner above described, establishes a resonator that will amplify the sound generated by the harmonica and also provides a convenient means for handling the harmonica. Still further, it will be apparent that little skill or effort is required by the person playing the harmonica, with the attachment of the present invention applied thereto, to cup his hands over the open ends of the attachment body in a mannor to suitably mute and control the sound issuing therefrom.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the harmonica construction A is a single bank instrument and is of substantially less vertical extent than the harmonica construction A shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. Except for the above noted difference, the harmonica construction A is the same in details of construction as the previously described harmonica A.

In the second form of the invention now under consideration, the body 31) of the harmonica attachment is shown as being established by a longitudinally split sleeve 32'. The sleeve 32 is similar in form and construction to the sleeve 32 in the first form of the invention and defines a sound chamber Z. The sleeve 32 is shown provided with suitable anchoring means 4 adapted to be releasably engaged with the harmonica construction A in the same manner described above in considering the first form of the invention.

It is apparent from the above, that the second form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, is simply a modified application of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in which application the apertured tube 31 is omitted.

In the second form of the invention, I have shown the sleeve 32 somewhat longer than the harmonica A, while in the first form of the invention, the sleeve 32 is shown slightly shorter than the hamonica construction A. The above noted diiferences in the lengths of the attachment sleeves 32 and 32, and the previously noted difierence in the vertical thickness of the harrnonica construction A and A, is to make apparent the fact that the structure that I provide, need not be made to any particular specification, but can be advantageously applied to any standard harmonica construction of the type having cover plates with inwardly projecting longitudinal flanges along their rear edges.

In Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, I have shown the attachment of the present invention provided with a slightly modified form of anchoring means B. The attachment as a whole, is shown as including substantially the same or identical features of construction as the first form of the invention, that is, it includes a body 30 established by an elongate, open ended, apertured tube 31" defining a resonating chamber Z" and an elongate split sleeve 32" having longitudinal edges, which edges are formed to establish suitably anchoring means adapted to releasably engage the harmonica construction A.

The anchoring means 40 in the third form of the invention, is established by radially outwardly projecting longitudinal flange-like projections 41" along the opposed longitudinal edges of the sleeve 32". The projections 41" are corrugated longitudinally so that they are, in effect, sinuate in cross-section and establish inwardly opening,

, opposed, longitudinal grooves 42". The form of anchor- F ing means 40", described above, is adapted for use in connection with a typical or standard type of plastic harmonica construction A wherein the upper and lower cover plates 18 and 19 are provided with longitudinal ribs 25 along their rear edges to project outwardly from the top and bottom sides of the body 10". It will be apparent from the above that the flanges 25 of the harmonica A can be engaged in or by the grooves 42" of the attachment anchoring means 40", in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings, so that the attachment and the harmonica are suitably maintained in proper cooperative relationship with each other.

It is to be understood that the particular forms of anchoring means illustrated and described above are designed for use in connection with the two most common forms of harmonica constructions in use today and that by simple alteration or modification of the anchoring means that I provide, the attachment of the present invention can be advantageously applied to any other harmonica construction.

Having described only typical preferred forms and applications of my invention, I do not wish to be limited or restricted to the specific details herein set forth, but wish to reserve to myself any variations or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the following claim.

Having described my invention, I claim:

An attachment for a harmonica having an elongate rectangular body with front and rear longitudinal edges and provided with upper and lower cover plates defining rearwardly opening sound chambers, said cover plates having flanges along the rear edges thereof, including, an elongate paper tube with open ends and an elongate longitudinally disposed slot-like aperture at one side thereof, and clamp means including a longitudinally split resilient sleeve engageable around the said tube and having radially outwardly turned longitudinally disposed lips along its opposed edges and releasably engaging the flanges on the cover plates to maintain the tube and harmonica in fixed relationship with each other and with the plane of the rear edge of the harmonica tangent with the exterior of the tube and with the sound chambers of the harmonica in direct open communication with the aperturein the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 892,672 Messner July 7, 1908 1,951,928 Elkington Mar. 20, 1934 2,309,406 McAuliffe Jan. 26, 1943 2,425,436 McAulifie Aug. 12, 1947 

